In the late winter of 2019, the Gulfport, Mississippi community was shaken by the violent death of Eric 'E' Howard Harris, a 55-year-old man known for his infectious smile and charismatic personality. On the evening of February 28, 2019, Harris was shot multiple times, an event that would lead to his passing the following day, March 1, 2019. The circumstances of his death prompted a thorough investigation by the Gulfport Police Department as they began to piece together the events that led to
the fatal shooting. Remembered as a hardworking individual with a positive outlook on life, his sudden and tragic death left a void in the lives of his family and friends.
The investigation into the homicide quickly gained momentum, leading to the identification of several individuals believed to be involved in the incident. The Gulfport Police arrested 21-year-old Jaevon Kenderick Weems, charging him with one count of drive-by shooting. Another suspect, 22-year-old Jayquarius Anthony Keyes, also known as 'Qdub,' turned himself in to the authorities and was charged with aggravated assault and drive-by shooting. The arrests brought some measure of progress in the case, but the search was not over.
A third suspect, Kaleb Zaches Anderson, aged 22, was also identified in connection with the shooting. However, he remained at large, and authorities considered him to be armed and dangerous, urging the public to come forward with any information that might lead to his apprehension. As the legal proceedings against Weems and Keyes began, the community grappled with the senseless violence that had claimed the life of a beloved resident. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Eric Harris was held on March 16, 2019, at The Nourishing Place in Gulfport, where those who knew him gathered to remember a man whose life was cut short.
